New appointments to the FSA Board

The Food Standards Agency has announced four new appointments to the FSA Board. Sharmila Nebhrajani, Jeff Halliwell, Paul Wiles and Liz Breckenridge will serve an initial three-year term, ending in May 2015.

The appointment of Sharmila Nebhrajani, Jeff Halliwell and Paul Wiles was made by Anne Milton, Minister for Public Health at the Department of Health.

The appointment of Liz Breckenridge, the second Board member for Scotland, was made by Michael Matheson MSP, Scottish Minister for Public Health.

Jeff Rooker, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said: ‘Our four new Board members bring with them a wealth and breadth of experience and will further enhance the FSA Board. I look forward to working with them all to continue to protect consumers’ interests in relation to food and to ensure people have confidence in our advice.’

Sharmila Nebhrajani is Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities and was formerly Director of Finance and Contracting for NHS Sussex. She was Chief Operating Officer of BBC New Media & Technology for over 10 years and is a chartered accountant. She is currently a Charity Commissioner and served for 10 years on the board of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Jeff Halliwell is a former managing director of Bernard Matthews Ltd. He has also held senior positions at First Milk and Northern Foods plc. He is a non-executive director of NHS Norfolk and Waveney Primary Care Trust, for which he receives remuneration of £7,882 pa. He is Vice-Chair of Governors of the University of Bedfordshire, and a Trustee/ Director of Shaw Trust. Jeff Halliwell is Chair-Elect of Cafédirect plc, and an adviser to Scratch Meals Ltd.

Paul Wiles is a Social Scientist. He is a former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Home Office and Government Chief Social Scientist. He is visiting Professor of Criminology at the universities of Oxford and Sheffield. He is an experienced non-executive director and is Director and Trustee of the National Centre for Social Research, a Commissioner of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, for which he receives a remuneration of £316 a day, and an advisor to the Sentencing Council, for which he receives a remuneration of £300 a day.

Liz Breckenridge formerly worked in food production marketing. She was the Marketing Director at Highland Spring and also worked at General Foods and Booker PLC. She is a Board Member of Consumer Focus Scotland and receives a remuneration of £5280. She was the Chair to the FSA’s Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement and a member of the External Advisory Group to the FSA’s Review of Official Controls, both of which roles she resigned on taking up the FSA Board member post.

Board members are paid an annual remuneration of £10,454 for approximately 36 days a year.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. No candidate has declared any political activity. These appointments have been made in accordance with the guidance issued by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Further biographical information on the new Board members is available at the link below.

Related links

About the Board members >>